Suit bag handle

ABSTRACT

A handle device for supporting a plurality of conventional wire hangers used to carry clothes in a suit bag; including a hinge joint and suction cups on the side thereof so that the suit bag can be temporarily hung on any vertical or horizontal smooth surface.

United States Patent 91 McFarland 1 SUIT BAG HANDLE [76] Inventor: Dual-d E. McFarland, 1634 Culen,

Wichita, Kans.

[22] Filed: May 18, 1971 211 App]. No.: 144,433

[52] US. Cl. ..224/45 '1', 16/110 [5 11 Int. Cl. ..A45c B65d 71/00 [58] Field of Search ..16/l10; 224/45 T, 47, 49;

[56] References Cited UNITED'STATES PATENTS 3,584,772 6/1971 Robertson .1 ..224/45 T 1 Jan. 23, 1973 3,606,967 9/1971 Roberts ..224/45 T FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 840,443 l/1960 Great Britain ..248/206 R Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay

Assistant ExaminerDoris L. Troutman Attorney-Miller & Brown [57] ABSTRACT A handle device for supporting a plurality of conventional wire hangers used to carry clothes in a suit bag; including a hinge joint and suction cups on the side thereof so that the suit bag can be temporarily hung on any vertical or horizontal smooth surface.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENIEDmza 1915 INVENTOR. DUARD E. M FARLAND BY ATTORNEY SUIT BAG HANDLE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION With the advent of jet air travel has come the usage of the suit bag in place of the conventional suitcase. A person on a short trip with one or two suits of clothing will carry them on the hangers in a suit bag. With this method there is no packing or unpacking and more importantly, the clothes will not be wrinkled. Most aircraft today have racks for hanging suit bags in the passenger compartments. While there are some more sophisticated suit bags that have their own handles and special hangers, a majority of these bags in use are those which use a conventional wire hanger. To carry clothing of any weight on an ordinary hanger for any extended time is very uncomfortable. The hook portion of a wire hanger does not fit the hand nor is it comfortable to hold.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a universal handle means that can be used on all conventional wire hangers and any suit bag which allows the hook portion of the hanger to protrude 'from the bag. The handle portion provides a broad gripping area which is very comfortable even under substantial weight. The suction cups on the handle allow the bag to be attached to any smooth surface such as the wall of a restroom or window of a car. Due to the flexible hinge between the hand grip and-the hangers, it can also be attached to the horizontal surface of a ticket counter, while the suit bag hangs vertically.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide a handle device to assist in hand carrying clothing in suit bags on conventional hangers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a handle device for conventional suit bags that can be hung on any vertical or horizontal smooth surface.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a handle device for conventional suit bags that can be molded from a semi-rigid plastic material in a single iece. p Further objects and advantages of the invention will be in 'part'pointed out specifically hereinafter in connection with the description of the drawings that follows and in which:

FIG. I is a front elevational view of the handle device with the hook portion of the hangers contained partially shown in dotted line;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the handle device; and

FIG. 3 is also a side elevational view of the handle device mounted on a horizontal surface with the hangers disposed in a vertical plane.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of the invention and more specifically to FIG. 1, the handle device ingeneral is identified by reference numeral 10. The rectangular hand gripping portion 12 is joined to the hanger engaging portion 14 by a flexible web 15. The hand grip portion 12 isessentially rectangular in shape with a rectangular opening 16 positioned approximately in the center thereof. The finger contacting portion 17 of the hand grip has an arcuate under surface 18 formed to fit the engaging hand. Attached to the lower edge of the hand grip portion 12 is a thin flexible web integrally molded therewith and centrally attached to the hanger engaging portion 14. The hanger engaging portion 14 has an arcuate shape with five parallel spaced openings 20 therein for receiving the hook end 22 of a conventional wire hanger. Attached to the side of the hand grip portion 12 are a pair of suction cups 24 having base portions 25.

With the exception of the suction cups 24, the handle device can be molded in a single piece from numerous types of well known plastics and other materials. While the hand grip portion 12 is substantially rigid, inflight of its thickness, the hanger engaging portion 14 and connecting web have a greater degree of flexibility in light of their reduced thickness.

OPERATION From one to five hangers can be carried on the bandle device. For equal balance, if a lesser number of hangers is to be carried, they should be grouped as close to the center opening 20 as possible. The openings 20 have a longitudinally arcuate shape similar to the curvature in the hook portion 22 of a conventional hanger. In light of the curved path of passage 20, the hangers are prevented from rotating in the openings about a longitudinal axis. The snugness in fit between the hangers and the handle device prevents the handle from falling off the hangers when the handle is not in use. The flexible web 15 allows the bag and handle device to be very comfortably carried over the shoulder. ln'FIG. 3, the handle device 10 is shown with the suction cups 24 engaging a horizontal surface 28 such as a ticket counter, while the hanger engaging portion 14 and the hangers 22 are allowed to hang vertically over the edge of the counter. In many situations where there is no place to hang a conventional hanger, the handle device 10 can be mounted on any smooth surface such as a vertical wall, door of restroom, or a window in a vehicle.

Having described the invention with sufficient clarity to enable those familiar with the art to construct and use it, I claim:

l. A supporting device for carrying and hanging a plurality of conventionalclothes supporting hangers comprising:

hand gripping means;

hanger engaging means having at least one arcuate shaped passage therein for snug receipt of the hook end of a conventional wire'hanger;

hinge means connecting the hand gripping means to the hanger engaging means allowing the hand gripping means to pivot with respect to the supported hangers; and

at least one flexible suction cup attached to the hand gripping means whereby the supporting device can hang from any smooth horizontal or vertical surface.

2. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand gripping means, hanger engaging means and hinge means are molded in a single piece with .the hinge means being a flexible thin connecting web.

3. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hanger engaging means includes a plurality of closely spaced longitudinally arcuate shaped passages having a curvature substantially similar to the hook portion of a hanger, whereby the hanger received in the opening cannot rotate with respect to the hanger engaging means.

4. A supporting hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hanger engaging means includes a plurality of closely spaced longitudinally arcuate shaped openings of a diameter substantially similar to the hanger wire, the openings having a curvature substantially similar to the hook portion of a hanger, whereby the hanger received in the opening cannot rotate with respect to the hanger engaging means.

5. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand gripping means is a rectangular frame with an opening in the center thereof for receipt of the hand, the hinge means being an integrally molded thin flexible web extending between the rigid hand gripping means and the hanger engaging means, all of which are molded in a single piece.

6. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand gripping means is a rectangular frame with an opening in the center thereof for receipt of the hand, the hinge means being an integrally molded thin flexible web extending between the rigid hand gripping means and the hanger engaging means, all of which are molded in a single piece, two suction cups attached to the side of the rectangular frame.

7. A supporting hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand gripping means, hanger engaging means and hinge means are molded in a single piece of a semi-rigid material with the hinge means being a flexible thin connecting web, and two rubber suction cups attached to the hand gripping means.

8. A supporting hanger as set forth in claim 1, that is entirely molded from a single semi-rigid material. 

1. A supporting device for carrying and hanging a plurality of conventional clothes supporting hangers comprising: hand gripping means; hanger engaging means having at least one arcuate shaped passage therein for snug receipt of the hook end of a conventional wire hanger; hinge means connecting the hand gripping means to the hanger engaging means allowing the hand gripping means to pivot with respect to the supported hangers; and at least one flexible suction cup attached to the hand gripping means whereby the supporting device can hang from any smooth horizontal or vertical surface.
 2. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand gripping means, hanger engaging means and hinge means are molded in a single piece with the hinge means being a flexible thin connecting web.
 3. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hanger engaging means includes a plurality of closely spaced longitudinally arcuate shaped passages having a curvature substantially similar to the hook portion of a hanger, whereby the hanger received in the opening cannot rotate with respect to the hanger engaging means.
 4. A supporting hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hanger engaging means includes a plurality of closely spaced longitudinally arcuate shaped openings of a diameter substantially similar to the hanger wire, the openings having a curvature substantially similar to the hook portion of a hanger, whereby the hanger received in the opening cannot rotate with respect to the hanger engaging means.
 5. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand gripping means is a rectangular frame with an opening in the center thereof for receipt of the hand, the hinge means being an integrally molded thin flexible web extending between the rigid hand gripping means and the hanger engaging means, all of which are molded in a single piece.
 6. A supporting device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand gripping means is a rectangular frame with an opening in the center thereof for receipt of the hand, the hinge means being an integrally molded thin flexible web extending between the rigid hand gripping means anD the hanger engaging means, all of which are molded in a single piece, two suction cups attached to the side of the rectangular frame.
 7. A supporting hanger as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hand gripping means, hanger engaging means and hinge means are molded in a single piece of a semi-rigid material with the hinge means being a flexible thin connecting web, and two rubber suction cups attached to the hand gripping means.
 8. A supporting hanger as set forth in claim 1, that is entirely molded from a single semi-rigid material. 